Shipping & Marine Issue 129 February 2016

Issue: 129 / February

The magazine for maritime management

A thorough

approach Simply adapting the risk and safety concepts of land-based LNG developments is not the solution when it comes to FLNG design

In this issue:

u Security u PPE u Training u 3D design

Issue: 129 / February

Editor’s comments THE MAGAZINE FOR MARITIME MANAGEMENT

‘‘

As growth continues in the sector, especially in the offshore wind energy market, attracting, recruiting and training staff is perhaps more important than ever

A thorough

approach Simply adapting the risk and safety concepts of land-based LNG developments is not the solution when it comes to FLNG design

In this issue:

u Security u PPE u Training u 3D design

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond libbie @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk Production Manager Fleur Daniels Art Editor/Design David Howard Studio Assistant Barnaby Schofield Profiles Editor Jo Cooper Staff Writers Andrew Dann Ben Clark Production dhoward @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk studio @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk Advertisement Administrator Tracy Chynoweth studio @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Rory Gallacher Jo-Ann Jeffery

History and new

traditions

A

s I looked over the Company Profiles in this issue of Shipping & Marine I was struck by the years of experience many of them could draw upon. That kind of foundation is such a vital and valuable resource, and I hope that it is being shared and passed along to the next generation of employees.

I also anticipate of course that young staff will bring in their own new ways of thinking, a willingness to embrace and exploit technology and a vision of how things can be done differently.

As growth continues in the sector, especially in the offshore wind energy market, attracting, recruiting and training staff is perhaps more important than ever – what is your strategy for 2016?

Advertising Sales Joe Woolsgrove - Sales Director Tim Eakins Dave King Darren Jolliffe Mark Cawston Andy Ellis

Editor: Libbie Hammond Subscriptions ikidd @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

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Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved.

The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

©2016 Schofield Publishing Ltd

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Features

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4 News Updates and announcements from the shipping and maritime arena

6 Keeping watch The close of 2015 brought significant changes to internationally recognised security policy in the Indian Ocean – what might the repercussions be?

8 Moving with the times Maritime security and international shipping - the PPE available for marine security operatives

10 A thorough approach Adapting the risks and safety concepts of land-based LNG developments is not the solution for FLNG design

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12 Lots to learn The importance of correct training in the maritime industry and some trends for 2016

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14 Dream factory Heesen Yachts use of 3D design software means it can create extraordinary luxury yachts for its clients

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Profiles

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18 Navgi8 Group The world’s leading independent pool and commercial management services provider, Navig8 Group boasts a diverse trading fleet

21 CTruk Boats CTruk Boats’ forward-thinking approach to design and production is integral to delivering optimum quality, cost-effective and cutting edge vessels

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24 Kuenz Kuenz is today viewed as one of the oldest and most prestigious mechanical engineering companies in the western region of Austria

27 Westcon Group Consisting of four divisions, Westcon Group prides itself on providing innovative solutions, services and products

30 Factorius Vulcano Over the years, Factorius Vulcano has moved away from fabricating standard vessels and applied its knowledge to specialist niche craft

33 Erik Thun 2016 will see Erik Thun working to realise its dreams of greater market share and environmentally sound operations

36 Vyborg Shipyard With more than 65 years of experience, Vyborg Shipyard is today one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the North-Western Region of Russia

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38 Team Tankers International Through a continual process of acquisition and restructuring, Team Tankers has developed into one of the world’s leading chemical tankers businesses

41 Yara Marine Technologies Yara Marine Technologies occupies a global position amongst the top flight of scrubber technology manufacturers

44 Bogerd Martin With roots dating back over a century, Bogerd Martin has a solid foundation in the supply of charts and nautical publications

47 Protection Vessels International Compliance is one area where PVI can really set itself apart from the industry

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Maritime news Problem solvers uA high-skill vessel repair package has been completed for Runcorn-based international fuel bunkering firm Whitaker Tankers by Merseyside marine hydraulics specialist V&A. The Birkenhead-based family-run firm has delivered a series of complex hydraulic upgrades to the short haul fuel tanker, Keewhit.

V&A Hydraulics managing director Vic Seddon explained that the project required a broad skill set and in-depth technical knowledge. “A key part of the repair package included work to a blown out cylinder,” he said. “However, we were also able to provide expertise to repair a hydraulics motor on a deck crane used to lift fuel pipes, as well as the anchor windlass brake. We delivered further upgrades to the hydraulic brakes and testing gauges on the steering gear.

“It was a highly rewarding project because of the scale and variety of work. We have a firm business philosophy here at V&A that there is no hydraulics problem that cannot be solved. It is quite simple - we trust in our knowledge, skill and expertise. V&A frequently picks up work where other hydraulics firms have left off, unable to find a solution.”

Improve to compete

uThe growth outlook for the global shipbuilding industry has deteriorated marginally, according to the latest Castrol Marine Trade Barometer. Though down slightly since the last report, annualised five-year growth rates for the sector are still forecast to reach a healthy three to five per cent, before picking up substantially after 2017.

The Barometer predicts that growth will be driven largely by the Asia-Pacific region, but also Latin America and the Middle East. All European nations but the Netherlands face a downward trend until 2017.

Mandhir Singh, COO at Castrol, says: “The main growth in shipbuilding will come from Asia-Pacific countries to 2019. These nations are well positioned to supply ultralarge vessels, which shipping companies are increasingly demanding for their fuel efficiency and economies of scale.

“Traditional shipbuilding nations, like Germany and the UK, will need to up their game if they’re to compete with the colossal shipyards and deep ports of the Asia-Pacific region.”

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From deep sea to deep space uSubsea engineering company, Sonardyne International Ltd., UK, has successfully demonstrated its wireless integrity monitoring technologies during a series of in-water demonstrations held at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) in Houston, Texas.

The NBL is an underwater training facility used to prepare astronauts for the micro-gravity conditions they will experience in space. The pool is the largest indoor body of water in the world and contains a full size replica of the International Space Station (ISS).

Hosted by OneSubsea, the technical symposium was conceived as a way for invited manufacturers like Sonardyne to demonstrate how subsea asset monitoring and electric oil field technologies are able to integrate with OneSubsea’s own Ethernet-enabled communications network. The NBL proved the ideal test bed for this unique event, allowing each manufacturer to demonstrate how their solutions enable asset management teams to make more informed decisions regarding planned maintenance, structural integrity and enhanced oil recovery programmes.

Around the pool, Sonardyne deployed acoustic data telemetry, sonar imaging and optical communications technologies to simulate some of the typical remote inspection and intervention scenarios its low risk technology can be utilised for.

Sonardyne’s high-speed optical data modem, BlueComm, created significant discussion amongst attendees. Installed on Saab Seaeye’s Sabertooth hybrid ROV/AUV, a link was established to a matching BlueComm unit on apparatus designed to replicate a subsea manifold. This enabled through-water wireless control of the vehicle including commanding the actuation of a standard Class 4 subsea valve. A simultaneous video feed provided by BlueComm from the Sabertooth to poolside allowed the vehicle’s pilot, and the gathered audience, to monitor the valve operation.

After docking in a separate, optically enabled subsea docking station, BlueComm was also used to harvest mission data at very high data rates and to provide the vehicle with details of its next mission.

Speaking on the success of the demonstrations, Stephen Fasham, Business Manager for Subsea Asset Monitoring at Sonardyne said: “Everything we and others demonstrated during the symposium; hybrid vehicles, BlueComm, acoustic positioning, data transfer and the wireless enabled subsea hub, is commercially available, off-the-shelf technology. Having deployed them operating next to the ISS, we’re actively working on making these solutions a reality offshore.”

Sonardyne’s optical modem, BlueComm, was used to command and control Saab’s Sabretooth intervention AUV, including operating a subsea valve and harvesting data

Maritime news Record breaker uIn January 2016 DP World London Gateway Port welcomed one of the world’s largest container ships carrying a recorded 18,601 TEU. The UASC owned Al Muraykh chose to call at DP World London Gateway to unload 3800 containers. The ship is one of the largest in the world measuring 400 metres in length. The containers are loaded 11 storeys high above deck and 23 containers across the ship. With thousands more stowed below deck, the ship can carry up to 18,800 containers. The ship left Malaysia’s Port Klang carrying the most ever shipping containers on board a vessel.

Many of the goods being unloaded were on the high streets of the UK for the January sales. The vessel’s ability to transport large volumes of containers to the UK means the average CO 2 output dropped 60 per cent less than normal, making the transportation of goods more sustainable. DP World London Gateway Hub is located closer to key population centres reducing time and costs in UK supply chains.

Mr. Waleed Al Dawood, Chief Operating Officer at UASC commented: “The UK is a key market for us and our customers there, like all our customers globally, are increasingly looking for sustainable, green transport solutions. The technology on board Al Muraykh and her sister

vessels allow us to provide these solutions and help our customers achieve their own environmental targets.”

New contract win

Special survey

uSparrows Group, and its cable and pipe-lay solutions (CPLS) division, reinforced its international footprint in the US after being awarded a contract by Oceaneering International, Inc. (Oceaneering) to design and manufacture two 500-tonne powered and jack-able under-rollers.

The new under-roller system, through its versatility and mobility, offers a wide range of benefits. Suitable for use with reels of up to 11.4m outer diameter, it provides up to 10 tonnes of line pull at the outer reel diameter which is particularly beneficial for steeltubed umbilicals - a more rigid product that requires greater effort to spool around the reel.

Sparrows Group chief executive officer, Stewart Mitchell added: “The under-roller design results in a more time and costeffective system which improves the efficiency of operations.

Further, the flexibility in design enables the user to reduce the number of heavy lifting operations on site by moving the underroller to the reel instead of moving the reel to the location of and onto the under-roller.

“Furthermore, the wheel drive and idler units can also be transported by forklift pockets built into the wheel unit frames - from either the side or the end of the unit - to allow forklifts to position the wheel units in more confined spaces at the client’s facility as well as for speed of relocation without the use of a crane.”

uDamen Shiprepair Vlissingen (DSV), part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC), has said farewell to Marco Polo, the 800 passenger cruise ship owned by Global Maritime and operated by Cruise & Maritime Voyages.

Launched in 1964 as the Aleksandr Pushkin, she was in for her 10th special survey and general maintenance and refurbishment. The project took around five weeks to complete.

An elegant vessel whose design harks back to an earlier era, the Marco Polo had a full schedule of works during her time at DSV. These included an exterior repainting, interior repairs and maintenance to bring her back up to her usual high standards. Other actions included work on the propellers and propeller shafts, reconditioning the bearings on the main engines and servicing the air-conditioning units and gensets. The life rafts and other safety equipment were also removed and serviced, the cranes and winches overhauled and various minor steel works performed. Marco Polo arrived at Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen on the 3rd of November and departed on the 14th of December.

Sparrows Group’s under-roller is believed to be the first of the design and capacity in the marketplace

Marina best practice uThe London Boat Show bore witness to the signing of an agreement of co-operation between The Global Marina Institute (GMI) and PIANC, the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure. The organisations plan to collaborate in a number of areas with the aim of enhancing the training of marina managers, designers and other marina professionals for best practice.

Commenting on the agreement, GMI Chairman Mick Bettesworth said: “The opportunity to work more closely with PIANC will enable GMI to continue to provide internationally relevant marina training and certification across the world.”

PIANC Secretary-General Louis Van Schel added: “This MoU follows others signed by PIANC with the main organisations of professionals interested in the marina market. This is very important under social, economic and environmental awareness points of view. In this regard the MoU aims to enforce a truly ‘Educative Network Program’ to enhance best practice in developing safe and sustainable infrastructure, avoiding substandard results to the final users.” www.shipping-and-marine.com - 5

Security

Keeping

watch

Gerry Northwood asks: is a relaxation of the security in the Indian Ocean the next big risk?

The close of 2015 brought significant changes to internationally recognised security policy in the Indian Ocean. In December, the maritime community scaled down the size of the Best Management Practice (BMP 4) High Risk Area (HRA) in the western Indian Ocean, followed closely by the Joint War Committee (JWC) at Lloyd’s of London reducing the area of the corresponding insurance HRA. These major changes to maritime security policy in the region would suggest piracy in the Indian Ocean is now less of a risk than previously thought. There are however arguments to the contrary.

Somali pirate attacks began to make a real impact on commercial shipping in the Indian Ocean in 2008 and prompted the drafting of the initial BMP in 2009. At its peak, piracy cost the global economy around $6bn in 2012 and dozens of vessels and hundreds of seafarers were held hostage off the coast of Somalia. This unhappy state of affairs resulted in hitherto unheard of levels of co-operation between the shipping community and various national authorities to implement a series of radical security measures. These included enhanced naval patrols and BMP4, and

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when these did not radically reduce the numbers of vessels being hijacked, ship owners resorted to armed guards on their vessels. At which point, the Somali business model started to unravel as their pirate action groups ceased to be able to capture vessels in the face of armed guards.

The decision announced by the Contact Group for Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (GCPCS) in October 2015 to reduce the size of the HRA in the Indian Ocean assumes that the Somalis no longer have the will, or ability, to conduct missions out to the eastern extremity of the original HRA. It should be noted, however, that the military reporting areas have remained unchanged and are no longer aligned with the BMP 4 or Insurance HRAs. This reflects the fact that NATO, EU and US military commanders have all cautioned that Somali

that illegal fishing is taking crucial revenues away from coastal communities, which in turn is fuelling resentment among Somalis who may once again believe that they have nothing to lose by turning to piracy.

Given the uncertainty over the resolution of the Yemeni conflict and the lack of tangible progress in developing Somalia this is a time when the shipping industry should be maintaining a firm grip on its security and preventative measures.

Business loss and ship damage caused by piracy attacks is ultimately replaceable, but the lives of crewmembers are not. While companies may be willing to take financial risks with their ships, there is an indisputable moral case that the industry should do all that is possible to protect crews. It would be ironic that the successful suppression of piracy in the Indian Ocean could lead to the same problems to resurface through complacency and over optimistic risk assessments.

Maritime crime is a problem that needs engagement and commitment from all players including governments, law enforcement, the shipping industry and its associates. With many countries under resourcing the policing of its territorial waters and economic zones, the maritime domain remains largely un-regulated and prone to piracy and illegal activity. Given the complex and uncertain environment, with threats shifting rather than disappearing, forward thinking companies, ship owners, managers and PMSCs need to be watchful for any form of criminal activity and should not tolerate those who cut corners.

Up to now, the Indian Ocean has become one of the safest oceans in the world. Lapses in security could easily reverse that situation. n piracy has been suppressed, not eradicated. By which they mean that the conditions ashore in Somali remain largely unchanged and that they are concerned that the Somalis could easily return to wide ranging patrols of the Indian Ocean in search of vessels to hijack and ultimately hold for ransom.

The obvious risk is that financially pressured shipping companies may see the HRA reduction as an opportunity to reduce costs through reductions in security measures, thus leaving themselves exposed to attacks by opportunistic pirate groups. Something which is possible in the Gulf of Aden where the coasts of Yemen and Somali spawn a steady stream of local boat traffic which can be configured for, say, human trafficking one moment, and piracy the next. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly apparent

Gerry Northwood, OBE

Gerry Northwood OBE, is COO of maritime security company MAST. MAST is a leading global security provider with the expertise and capability to provide comprehensive security advice, including the delivery of intelligence information, physical security solutions and technology. MAST is without doubt one of the pioneers in the maritime security industry, having been at the heart of development of the legal and operational standards that now allow clients to engage security services in the marine sector with confidence. With offices in the UK, USA, Malta, Oman, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Singapore and China, the company has the resources and the reach to provide clients with a complete solution. www.mast-security.com

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PPE

Moving with the

times

Maritime security and international shipping a look at modern piracy. By Joshua Nash

Travel by sea has been an important aspect of human travel, and while technological advancements have brought about other methods of transport, shipping has remained important. It has been of particular importance to the world’s economy, which is why piracy has proven to be such a major problem throughout the years. Modern piracy continues to play havoc with international shipping, and has a massive economic and human cost. Attacks cost the international economy an unparalleled amount of money, which explains why crews and companies go to such lengths to protect themselves.

The impact of modern piracy Modern piracy is synonymous with Somali pirates, which are often featured in the media as being responsible for attacks. This is not unfounded, and Somali based piracy has cost the international community over $6bn in 2012 alone. Somalia is certainly not the only source of piracy either, which makes the impact of piracy on world shipping all the more serious. While the past few years have seen a decrease in pirate attacks, and particularly in Somali piracy, attacks are still a serious threat that need to be safeguarded against.

Eighty per cent of all world trade is undergone through international shipping, which explains

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somewhat why both pirates and the anti-piracy industry have been so successful in recent years.

Overall attacks may have decreased, but piracy is still rife and has even risen in areas of increasing trade and shipping. For example, there has been a dramatic rise in piracy in South East Asia. Similarly, the scope of attacks has widened, meaning pirates are increasingly attacking any and all ships.

Surprisingly, even warships can be targeted, with pirates attacking two separate warships in 2010.

As part of this increase in scope, attacks are becoming more and more deadly, with pirates increasingly using high-powered weapons. The ultimate aim of any attack is to board the target,

MILTAC body armour Camo Green

which happens in 75 per cent of all attacks. It is worth noting, however, that the very nature of modern piracy means that statistics are often difficult to ascertain, and the true threat of piracy may be far higher.

Protecting against boarding, however, has to be the main focus for crews.

While traditional methods of deterring pirates are still in common use, things like water hoses and barbed wire for example are struggling to combat the increasingly dangerous pirate threat.

Therefore, many crafts - including civilian vessels - have turned to private security.

comfortably for extended periods, and will certainly be no heavier than the rest of the equipment most security officers will wear.

They may be of particular use for MSOs, as pirates continue to appropriate high-powered weaponry to use in attacks.

On the other hand, it may not be firearms that are the only threat to MSOs, as handheld and closequarters weapons will be more prevalent in a boarding situation.

Kevlar vests cannot protect against edged or spiked weapons because the soft fabric, while incredibly strong, can be easily cut or bypassed.

Stab and spike proof vests therefore require additional materials, usually chainmail and/or laminated plastic. This provides a tough surface to stop penetration. n

Maritime security services Private security consists of armed guards, known as Maritime Security Operatives (MSOs), who are tasked with providing protection for ships of all sizes. However, their presence also serves as a show of strength, which provides a secondary method of defence; by having armed guards present on a ship pirates may be deterred from attacking. For shipping crews, similarly, their presence will help make them feel secure and put their minds at ease.

This presence is aided in part by their equipment, as protection and weaponry furthers the image of a professional and prepared security force. This equipment is, of course, vital for the MSOs, who need to be protected and armed in order to confidently perform in their role.

Body armour is absolutely necessary for these individuals, particularly as pirates increasingly use firearms and high-powered weapons in attacks.

Bulletproof vests are available in different styles, depending on the situations it will be worn in. An overt bulletproof vest, for example, is one that is worn over clothing or as part of a uniform. These are most appropriate for MSOs, as the sight of body armour further cements their preparedness and authority. Similarly, many overt vests can be customised with logos and insignia, high visibility covers, and even floatation devices, which are of particular interest to those working at sea.

For some branches of maritime security, however, an overt vest will be inappropriate. Those serving on civilian crafts may need to remain discreet and present a more relaxed demeanour to passengers. This does not mean that they cannot be protected however, and it is unreasonable

to expect these individuals to perform without protection. Therefore, a covert vest would be ideal for these situations. Covert vests are worn underneath clothing and can offer the same levels of protection and comfort.

The protection available MSOs must be aware of the threats they will most likely face. Just as bullet resistant vests are available in different styles, so too are they available at different levels of protection. These levels conform to the standards outlined by the US National Institute of Justice, the world leader in ballistics testing. These NIJ Levels outline exactly what ammunition a vest can stop, with higher levels capable of preventing penetration by even armourpiercing rounds.

While the lower levels of protection are achieved by using soft and flexible materials like Kevlar, higher protection needs rigid panels of ceramics and/or polyethylene, which are inserted into a vest.

These panels are still light enough to be worn

Commander-black Joshua Nash works at SafeGuard, an international manufacturer and distributor of body armour. Its work in the research and development of ballistic protection allows the company to offer cuttingedge information to a variety of industries. It uses its knowledge of ballistic protection to help further the awareness of protective clothing and general safety. www.safeguardclothing.com

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FLNG

A thorough

approach Simply adapting the risk and safety concepts of land-based LNG developments is not the solution when it comes to FLNG design, believes Suba Sivandran The emergence of the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) concept has seen an unprecedented focus on development activity and has reinforced the commercial interest in these facilities. However, as the industry strives to make the concept a reality, in addition to the already formidable risks present in conventional projects, a plethora of distinctive risks associated with FLNG have now been added to the mix, with little industry experience to learn from.

In this feature, Suba Sivandran highlights the unique safety concerns which need to be considered and provides insight into the benefits of using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to complement physical modelling through Wind Tunnel Testing and ensure oil and gas operators have confidence that the design is fit for purpose in all operating conditions.

Growing demand for natural gas as a cleanenergy alternative to traditional fossil fuels has resulted in unprecedented innovation in the global offshore LNG industry. In the last ten years alone, producers have made rapid efficiency improvements within the value chain, first through

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the use of re-gasification vessels and then floating storage and re-gasification units (FSRU). FLNG represents the latest development in this fastmoving industry sector.

Floating above an offshore natural gas field, the FLNG facility will theoretically produce, liquefy, store and transfer LNG and potentially liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and condensate at sea before carriers ship the product direct to market. Although this approach has its benefits, it also presents its own challenges. When considering the design and construction of the FLNG facility, every element of a conventional land-based LNG facility needs to fit into an area a fraction of the size, whilst maintaining appropriate levels of safety and giving increased

flexibility to LNG production. Furthermore, the offshore environment and associated metocean conditions, including wave motions, can create significant challenges.

Advantages of FLNG units include a reduced use of materials, land and seabed and therefore, cost and a reduced impact on coastal habitats by avoiding pipelines, dredging activities and jetty construction. In addition, the flexibility of the concept allows for a gas field to be exploited and then theoretically, it can be simply moved to another location, rather than having to be decommissioned.

Owners must anticipate future requirements and deliver long-term performance, which in turn, places even greater pressure on ensuring optimum design and asset integrity management of the facility.

As the number of proposed FLNG facilities increase to meet the demand for transportation of gas reserves stranded in remote offshore locations such as South East Asia and Africa, it is essential that the safety risks are fully understood within the concept design phase. These risks relate to: metocean conditions; impact on marine environment; possible likelihood and consequence of fire and explosion; security and evacuation and in-service maintenance. The effective management of all of these risks should involve a quantitative assessment to help optimise the design, incorporate mitigation measures and devise hazard and management strategies.

The greatest opportunities to reduce risks are during the initial hazard assessment stage within the conceptual design phase whereby an inherently safer design can be achieved. Once a more detailed design has been agreed, there may be limited scope to apply hazard avoidance methods. The offshore oil and gas industry is increasingly moving towards a more proactive approach to risk mitigation and away from a reactive approach. A formal safety assessment or safety case approach is a structured way of handling risks. Through an initial hazard assessment, hazards are identified and measured qualitatively. Certain hazards that are deemed to have the potential to cause a major accident event (MAE) are then taken forward to the consequence assessment stage where these hazards are then assessed quantitatively. In the final stage, hazards are quantified in terms of risk to personnel, environment and asset through techniques such as a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) so as to demonstrate everything has been done to ensure that risks are reduced to as low as reasonably practicable.

Within the consequence assessment stage, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be used as a design tool to achieve an inherently safer design. Through assessment of gas releases and fire scenarios and natural ventilation of the FLNG process topsides, recommendations can be made concerning process equipment arrangement and mitigation and prevention strategies. Optimisation

of the process topsides layout can be achieved to ensure less congestion and less confinement.

This can include physical separation of major components containing hydrocarbons and where necessary, the introduction of barriers (e.g. blast walls) to prevent the escalation of risk should a hazard be realised. CFD should be seen as a design tool used to design for scenarios that are credible whilst following a risk-based approach.

Wind tunnel testing can also help ensure we are designing for safety. Over the last six years we have carried out testing on seven FLNG designs to assist designers in understanding potential mean forces and moments acting on a FLNG vessel. Wind and current measurements can be combined to determine heeling moments for a stability analysis and wind forces and moments are also necessary inputs to analyses of the mooring and thruster systems. Similarly, operations within the offshore industry are becoming more complex and riskier due to ship sizes and vessels finding themselves in close proximity of one another. As such, it is important to understand the aerodynamic proximity effects associated with side-by-side operations through the use of wind tunnel testing.

Wind tunnel testing and advanced techniques such as CFD can play an integral role in helping to refine the design of an FLNG vessel. CFD should never be seen as a replacement to physical modelling, but rather a complement and the key is being able to interpret and understand the results of theory and experiment.

Bringing the two techniques together, the risks surrounding helicopter operations, which present another common MAE in offshore oil and gas, can be greatly reduced by using CFD and wind tunnel testing. Two of the biggest impacts to helideck environmental conditions are turbulence and hot turbine exhaust. Wind turbulence generated from airflow over obstructions such as the process topsides and turbine exhaust can significantly increase the risk involved with helicopter approach and landing.

Standards such as CAP 437 Standard for Offshore Helicopter Landing Areas and NORSOK C-004 Helicopter Deck on Offshore Installations provide guidance and a prescriptive approach to Helideck Operations and Helideck Design. Using

CFD and wind tunnel testing together we can optimise helideck location and determine the best compromise between conflicting requirements so as to identify helicopter operating limitations likely to be imposed due to turbulence, downdraft or hot gases. With the CFD model validated against the wind tunnel testing, we can then rapidly run simulations testing further scenarios and optimise the design such as estimating the likely helideck downtime.

Developing advancement and most importantly, commonality in the methodology that combines reliable testing and simulation-based prediction of 3D wind fields and forces acting on large scale offshore vessels and floating production systems is key. Such an approach will provide operators and designers of these structures with the opportunity to drive forward these designs with ever increasing reliability and efficiency.

In today’s current economic climate when it may seem tempting to take short cuts and save on capital expenditure, optimising design early on in a project can help to not only reduce risks to personnel, environment and asset but also reduce costs by avoiding conservatism. A thorough approach to design and a clear understanding of the risks present to an FLNG project can also be used to increase confidence with investors and financial institutions. Taking a risk-based approach to design will ensure there won’t be any nasty surprises further down the line. n Suba Sivandran is Head of Oil and Gas at BMT Fluid Mechanics, a subsidiary of BMT Group.

BMT Fluid Mechanics is internationally recognised as a leading independent specialist in the fields of computational modelling and wind engineering for the oil & gas and civil construction industries. The company uses its key skills in fluid dynamics, naval architecture, physical modelling and numerical modelling to help designers and operators optimise design, minimise commercial risk and maximise safety. BMT Fluid Mechanics is based in London, Houston, Kuala Lumpur, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. www.bmtfm.com To learn more about BMT’s work in oil & gas please go to: http://www.bmt.org/markets/oil-and-gas/

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Training

Lots to

learn Maersk Training’s Anthony Greener, Maritime Business Development Manager, discusses the pivotal importance of correct training in the industry and the latest trends for 2016 The UK’s offshore industries are set for significant growth over the coming years and skilled workers are becoming more sought after to fill the increasing number of roles within the renewable energy industry.

The continued rapid expansion of the offshore and wind energy sector means that high quality technicians are more in demand than ever. It has been estimated that an additional 70,500 skilled workers will need to be employed within the industry by 2023 so there are some fantastic opportunities for those seeking employment in the region.

With the North East region having a large employable workforce, it is important people can gain access to the skills and training required for employment within the growing industry.

Human element of resource management Human factors account for approximately 80 per cent of accidents at sea, which has sparked a lot of

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discussion surrounding current training standards of human element resource management. The aviation industry has used incidents to investigate causes and learn lessons from mistakes for more than 30 years. In comparison, the maritime industry needs to dedicate more training to these areas.

Maritime Human Element Training is also under the scrutiny of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Flag States whose aim is to improve current training in order to reduce incidents within the industry. Leadership and communication skills encompassing stress handling, planning and managing resources are all essential to minimise incidents at sea. As well as this, providing officers with the knowledge and tools necessary to review their own departmental systems will ensuring a safer workplace.

Trends and technology – Simulators The importance of combining traditional training methods with new, technology such as simulators, has never been greater.

Communication barriers and lack of planning can amplify an already stressful situation and cause both large and small-scale problems.

Simulators are being introduced to the industry, which now make accidents in the offshore sector much easier to prevent than ever before.

These simulators are extremely sophisticated and coupled with traditional theoretical training are one of the best ways to make sure seafarers are equipped to deal, not only with resource management, but with people management too. n

what you have to lose, and then you can choose to do the right thing, the safe thing. It is your choice.

Correct training procedures and courses can help hone each of these points and minimise accidents and serious injuries. This is exactly why Maersk Training has launched a new Advanced First Aid course, which will help champion all these skills.

Anthony Greener is Maritime Business Development Manager at Maersk Training.

Maersk Training offers state-of-the-art facilities and specialises in training for the oil & gas, maritime and offshore wind sectors. As an independent A.P. Moller-Maersk company, Maersk Training has UK training centres in Aberdeen and Newcastle, alongside global training centres in Denmark, Norway, India, Dubai, the USA, Singapore and Brazil. www.maersktraining.com

Training case study: Jennifer Murley SHEQ Intern at EDF Renewable Energy

The correct training to avoid accidents Well firstly, you need to have the know-how for the job. If you don’t know what you are doing, don’t know your limits, then you are putting yourself and others at risk. You’re the hazard. So you need to be honest about what you know you can do safely.

Keep your skills up to date. Make sure you have the know-how for the job.

Secondly, you’ve got to co-operate with the people working alongside you. Be open, share your knowledge and experience, if something doesn’t look safe, then say so. Be willing to listen.

If a colleague has something to say to you about safety, then learn from them. That is called co-operation.

And finally, you’ve got to remember you always have a choice. Every day you can choose, to cut corners, to take risks, or you can chose to think safe. You can think about the hazards. Think about

In her previous role as a Maintenance Technician working in a large factory, Jennifer Murley from Whitley Bay often found herself wanting to ‘roam beyond the borders of the site and see more of the world’ and so in 2014 decided it was time to make some career changes.

20 year-old Jennifer has some strong engineering experience under her belt, studying the subject at Newcastle College and completing an engineering placement at Nissan.

Jennifer attended a Maersk Training open day in Newcastle hoping to be inspired about how she could put her engineering skills to good use in a health and safety role in the renewable energy industry.

Jennifer said: “I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to introduce health and safety into my career. I went to the Maersk Training open day to get some expert advice on what would be the best way to go about it and what training and qualifications I would need to work in the renewable energy industry.”

Jennifer was advised by the Careers and Employment Manager, James Costello, that the best way to go about working in health and safety in the renewables industry would be to begin with a technical role to gain experience. He recommended Maersk’s Level 2 Diploma in Staying Safe in the Wind Industry as the most beneficial.

The 12-week diploma covered all of the aspects required to work in health and safety offshore including Working at Heights and Rescue, Fire Awareness, First Aid, Manual Handling and Sea Survival.

Jennifer said: “My two absolute favourite things about the course had to be Working at Height and Sea Survival, which is odd as they were two of my biggest fears. The instructors were always diligent about safety, and very patient with all of us shaky newcomers.”

Following the diploma with Maersk Training, Jennifer completed a NEBOSH course (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health). James Costello worked with her to compile a tailored CV pinpointing her strengths in health and safety. In June 2015 Jennifer was accepted onto an internship with EDF Renewable Energy in the Health and Safety department.

“No matter what your background is, your level of experience or previous jobs, if you want to try and make a new career in renewable energy, or gain some impressive qualifications then I would definitely recommend Maersk Training,” Jennifer said.

“By the end of the 12 weeks, you’ll be more focused on what you want to achieve.”

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Case study

Dream

factory When it comes to creating a dream yacht for a client, Heesen Yachts utilises the most modern 3D design software Sailing in a luxury yacht is an extraordinary experience. And the experience begins in its owner’s imagination. Luxury yachts are vessels customised to unique and precise specifications, so when Frans Heesen founded Heesen Yachts in 1978, he had one thing in mind: to create exceptional sailing experiences with yachts built to superior engineering standards and meticulous attention to detail. “The first yacht he built was a 24 metre aluminium high-speed motor yacht, which has since become part of the company’s DNA,” said Mark Cavendish, director sales and marketing at Heesen Yachts. “Since then, we’ve become well-known for our high speed aluminium high range luxury yachts.”

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Heesen Yachts adopted Dassault Systèmes’ solutions including 3D modelling application CATIA to allow naval architects to create, analyse, modify and optimise the interior design of the Galactica Star more rapidly and accurately, accelerating the pace of innovation. Image courtesy Dassault Systèmes

walk through the door to years after they’ve taken possession of their new vessel. “Our number one challenge when a client orders a yacht is to make their dream come true,” said Peter van der Zanden, general manager for design and development at Heesen Yachts. “We work closely with them throughout the design process to incorporate their desires while ensuring the highest level of quality even if this means making changes late in the design process.”

Building such dreams is an extraordinary and unique privilege, requiring expertise, commitment and professionalism, combined with cutting edge technology, build technique and quality anchored in tradition. It comes at a considerable investment, however, requiring perfect planning and execution at every step.

More of everything except time

Heesen’s yachts are fully customised 30 to 80 metre luxury vessels. In the past 30 years Heesen Yachts has designed, built and delivered over 170 yachts. No two of them are alike but all of them have one thing in common: they were all delivered on time. From the very first concepts and naval architecture to the interior design, the challenge is to always remain focused on the final product, keeping the owner’s wishes at heart. Heesen Yachts clients are considered family from the day they

In a demanding luxury yacht market, flexibility and the ability to collaborate with clients from the earliest stages are extremely important. “Our old 2D design methods and tools were just not up to scratch when it came to dealing with the complexities of large custom-built luxury yacht design,” van der Zanden said. “Everything must be more: more room, more comfort, more amenities, and more luxury except when it comes to delivery times.

This always has to be less. All this makes things very complex for us. We needed more power from our software solutions and Dassault Systèmes’ solutions, including CATIA 3D modelling applications, (elements of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform) was the answer.”

Multidiscipline collaboration Luxury yachts are like floating five-star hotels requiring the collaborative effort of many disciplines to design the structure, engines, piping, interior and exterior layout and amenities. “Our design, engineering and production people collaborate in a common environment, exchanging ideas and making modifications on the fly,” van der Zanden said.

Working in 3D is a major advantage. “Designs are clearer so people can more easily express their ideas,” van der Zanden said. “Our different departments depend on each other to come up with the best designs and working in 3D gives everyone a clearer understanding of the requirements of each discipline. Moreover, we can show our production department the most optimised assembly sequences with instructions generated using the interactive 3D visualisation and animation capabilities. CATIA also helps us to optimise the use of space inside the vessel. Since every discipline works on the same model in real time, they can make any necessary adjustments before sending the designs to production saving valuable time all around.”

Space inside any yacht is limited and must be shared between the various disciplines that need to work together to position their equipment. “This includes all mechanical engineering systems, ventilation, sanitary systems, fresh water lines, electrical, window wipers and pneumatics,” said Piet van der Linden, mechanical engineering department manager. “Our role in mechanical engineering is to ensure that all systems are positioned and

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Case study

is managing the vessel’s many designed and assembled parts,” said Jos Verbruggen, manager shipbuilding engineering at Heesen Yachts. “Every part has its own strength, stiffness, and vibration requirements, which makes it unique but also very complex to design and manage. We can’t just take a part from another boat and use it in this yacht. To assemble all these parts, CATIA helped ensure a smooth assembly sequence by enabling us to first verify in a virtual environment that parts fit together without interference. It was a clear illustration of successful interdisciplinary collaboration, working simultaneously in 3D to produce the optimum design before releasing it to production.

“In essence, it was right the first time,” Verbruggen said. CATIA was also used to create flattened views of the aluminium sheet metal for the hull, which was then passed on to the DELMIA digital manufacturing applications to cut the contours. “For the Galactica Star’s hull we had complex curved forms – single and double curved plates – which are normally very difficult to work

The revolutionary Fast Displacement Hull Form, designed in 3D with Dassault Systèmes’ solutions allows Galactica Star to perform more efficiently over a wider range of speeds than any other yacht in her class.

Image courtesy Dassault Systèmes

functioning correctly, and that we make efficient use of the space we have available. CATIA is used to design all the systems, and with the digital 3D mockup, we are able to verify that everything fits and that there are no interferences before finalising the routing assembly drawings.”

Setting new performance standards Dassault Systèmes’ integrated software environment has been a valuable asset for the design of Heesen Yachts’ award-winning luxury superyacht. “The Galactica Star is a revolutionary 65-metre luxury yacht,” Cavendish said. “She’s a very important yacht for us and the first vessel of her kind based on the innovative Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) patented concept. The most striking feature of this impressive vessel is her phenomenal speed. She has a top speed of nearly 30 knots, which really sets her apart from the world’s top 200 largest yachts. Beyond speed, another advantage of the FDHF is its exceptional performance. The Galactica Star performs more efficiently over a wider range of speeds using 20 per cent less fuel than any other yacht in her class.”

Complex customisation Building a one-of-a-kind yacht like the Galactica Star poses many challenges. “One of the biggest

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with. CATIA automatically generated the flattened views from the 3D design parts, which were then cut out with extreme precision,” Verbruggen said.

The Galactica Star has ample outdoor living spaces including a big open sundeck, a large open foredeck and a fully equipped duplex beach club with a swimming pool in the half deck. “The openings for these facilities, which were serious challenges during construction, were easily designed and planned for with CATIA. This helped to avoid running into problems, which would have set back delivery of the yacht to the client,” he said.

Client experience The interior design department is Heesen Yachts’ ‘dream factory’ working closely with clients to transform their desires into reality. “Our job is to create a pleasant atmosphere for the owner and we usually have to walk a fine line between what they want and what is feasible,” said Perry van Hirtum, manager of interior engineering at Heesen Yachts. “We can present the client with a virtual 3D mock-up of their future yacht interior, which helps us understand what the client wants, and for the client to clearly visualise what we propose in response.” n Over the last 30 years, Heesen Yachts has been transforming its clients’ dreams into reality with yachts built to exceptional engineering standards. While the company has made a name for itself over the past few decades, Heesen Yachts intends to keep pushing the limits of yacht design innovation, efficiency and performance and continue to make dreams come true. http://www.3ds.com/industries/ marine-offshore/yachts-workboats/

Profiles There are thousands of ships sailing the oceans today, transporting every kind of cargo.

The global fleet is manned by over a million seafarers of virtually every nationality and the companies involved in this sector are among the most technologically sophisticated of any in the world.

The prominent and successful companies that are highlighted in the next pages of Shipping & Marine provide real world examples of how state-of-the-art technology, best practices and modern innovations are put into practice in the maritime sector.

Navig8 Group CTruk Boats Kuenz Westcon Group Factorius Vulcano Eric Thun Vyborg Shipyard Team Tankers International Yara Marine Technologies Bogerd Martin Protection Vessels International

Profile: Navig8 Group

Fleet of

Navig8

T

he world’s leading independent pool and commercial management services provider, the Navig8 Group boasts the most diverse trading fleet, from clean and dirty tankers, to chemical tankers and dry bulk. With an unrivalled fleet size, the versatile company merges this strength with leading commercial and operational teams with extensive market knowledge and a customer-orientated, flexible approach to business. Believing customer relationships are at the core of its operations and ongoing success, the group focuses on reliability and responsiveness throughout projects.

It has also accumulated a powerful network of charterer relationships and works with leading players daily. In addition, the group has the broadest pool member base, which has grown from one to 58 members since inception and encompasses partners 18 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

from 18 different countries around the world.

With 13 offices located across the world, Navig8 is able to provide close customer support on a 24/7 basis.

Moreover, by being local, the group is in closer proximity to its customers and regional markets. Meanwhile, by operating globally, the group is also able to assess wide trends and maximise on arbitrage opportunities when they arise.

To ensure it delivers a comprehensive, high quality service to its customers in all of the sectors it serves, the group has divided its operations into separate business lines; these include Navig8 Tankers, Navig8 Bulk, Integr8 Fuels, Navig8 Chemicals, & Navig8 Ship Management.

The Group also leverages the information flow generated through its commercial management activities as well as its in-house research team to identify key inflexion points in the

shipping market. The Group formed Navig8 Product Tankers, Navig8 Crude Tankers and Navig8 Chemical Tankers (separate and distinct asset owning companies) in order to take advantage of favorable acquisition opportunities during a low point the shipping market cycle.

Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc. was formed in 2013 as a joint venture between the Navig8 Group and Oaktree Capital Management to capitalise on significant structural changes in the petrochemical industry and the continuing development of long-haul chemical trades.

Navig8 Chemical Tankers has put in place a cost-effective operating structure that it anticipates will enable it to grow the fleet efficiently over time while also managing any operating expense. To do this, the company has entered into a series of contracts for the provision of commercial, corporate and technical administrative services

by affiliates of the Navig8 Group; all of whom have the expertise to allow them to deliver reliable and safe operations under close supervision.

By entering into and maintaining such agreements, the division believes services will be obtained in a transparent and cost-effective manner.

Also within its strategy is a focus on optimising the employment of its fleet by deploying vessels in the spotmarket orientated commercial pools of its commercial manager. The division anticipates that, by operating within commercial pools, it can improve its TCE rates through increased vessel utilization and thus earnings. The final part of the company’s strategy is to operate a modern, high quality fleet while focusing on reliable and safe operations; to do this, the division will ensure its fleet meets stringent industry standards and continuously complies with customer requirements.

To do this, Navig8 Chemical Tankers

will maintain a comprehensive maintenance programme.

The company began operations with a fleet of 36 high specification fuelefficient newbuildings with exclusively modern eco-designs: including 18 x 37,295 dwt Interline-9001 coated chemical tankers, eight 25,000 dwt stainless steel chemical tankers, nine IMO II 49,000 dwt interline-9001 coated chemical tankers and two 49,080 dwt epoxy coated chemical tankers. The fleet features a complementary mix of coatings allowing for greater trading flexibility given their ability to accommodate multiple specialised cargoes with different grades and parcel sizes and providing an enhanced cargo resistance, reduced cleaning requirements and fewer cycling restrictions.

To ensure optimum quality, all vessels in the initial fleet have been, or will be constructed by leading

DA-Desk Since 2008, DA-Desk has been providing disbursement account (DA) processing services for Navig8’s port calls. As the largest and only independent port cost management services company, DA-Desk has supported Navig8’s impressive growth by pushing compliance with Navig8 policies, introducing process efficiencies, delivering economies of scale, and enabling better decision-making through analytics – right from agency appointment, pro-forma screening and advance funding, through to checking, closing and reconciliation of the final DA. With full VMS integration, a mobile app for their busy operators and an unyielding commitment to innovation, DA-Desk provides Navig8 with a scalable solution for the years to come.

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Profile: Navig8 Group

Port2Port Maritime Port2Port Maritime provides embarked maritime security for Navig8 Group.

It has now successfully delivered well in excess of 1250 armed transits.

Port2Port Maritime remains an industry leader in compliance, recently becoming the only UK PMSC to be certified to provide armed security on board French Flagged vessels. Through Port2Port West Africa, it provides bespoke services in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea High risk Areas (HRA). It is unique in the sector in that it can provide mitigation services for both East Africa and West Africa HRA’s.

Japanese and Korean manufacturers such as Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD), Fukuoka Shipbuilding, STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, Kitanihon Shipbuilding and Hyundai Vinashin Shipyard.

The vessels have been arriving swiftly over the last year, with Navig8

Chemical Tankers announcing the deliveries of initial vessels Navig8 Victoria and Navig8 Almandine in January and February 2015. Navig8 Victoria is the first of two ECO 49,000 dwt chemical tankers to be constructed at Hyundai Vinashin Shipyard, while Navig8 Almandine is the first of 18 ECO IMO 37,000 dwt chemical tankers to be contracted at HMD. Both vessels entered Navig8’s pools, with Navg8 Victoria entering the Chronos8 pool and Navig8 Almandine entering the Delta8 pool. More recently, the company announced that it had delivered the 18th IMO2 interline-coated 37,000 dwt chemical tanker from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in January 2016; the vessel then entered and operated in Navig8 Group’s Delta8 pool.

Meanwhile, in December 2015, the company announced it had exercised an option to acquire another 49,000 dwt ECO IMO II interline-coated chemical tanker, which is to be built at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding to the same technical specifications as Navig8’s pre-existing orders with the shipyard and is anticipated to be delivered in mid 2017 before being deployed into the Chronos8 pool.

Today Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc has 20 vessels in operation under the Navig8 chemical pools and has an additional fleet of 17 high specification chemical tankers on order; taking the total fleet to 37 units. The remaining vessels are due for delivery by September 2017. Delivered vessels have been employed in the spotmarket oriented commercial pools of the Navig8 Group.

With a strategy for success in place, financial security and a wealth of vessels that continues to increase in number, Navig8 Chemical Tankers and Navig8’s commercially run chemical pools are on a direct route for success within the chemical tanker sector.

Navig8 Group www.navig8group.com • Provider of shipping management services • Unrivalled combination of fleet scale, diversity and vessel quality • Vast number of new build vessels on order

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Profile: ctruk boats

A fresh

approach

F

ounded in 2010 in Brightlingsea, Essex, CTruk Boats began operations with a vision to take the design of offshore wind farm support boats to a new level. Discussing the company’s developments over the last six years, Sebastian Shillaker, Managing Director at CTruk Boats, begins: “CTruk Boats was founded in 2010 by Andy White and has since found a niche within the Offshore Windfarm Market for multi-purpose vessels. Since 2010 CTruk has become the UK’s second largest Wind Farm Service Vessel Supplier and specialises in advanced FRP composite construction; we also utilise vacuum resin infusion, which is one of the reasons CTruk is so innovative.

Key to our success is the fact we have continually strived to meet the demands of the offshore wind market by developing and improving vessel designs throughout the years.

“We currently build a range of FRP composite multi-purpose catamarans for the Offshore Windfarm, Security/ Military and Survey sectors. However, we are always looking to stay ahead of the competition and regularly partake in research and development activities; we also focus on finding new sectors and ways in which we can improve creating the best vessels possible for our clientele.”

This commitment to delivering a higher standard of support to those within the offshore industry resulted in the creation of the CTruk MPC19 multi-purpose catamarans, which boast the company’s bespoke, patentapplied flexible pod system. Offering incredible versatility, the flexible deck pod system enables the boat to be reconfigured in a matter of hours, thus enabling it to carry out a variety of tasks and be used for projects such as crew transfer, blade inspection, paint inspection, generator refuel and www.shipping-and-marine.com - 21

Profile: CTRUK Boats

the examination of turbine integrity.

“CTruk is also able to create bespoke pods for their clients suitable for many different applications such as dive, scientific, fishing, survey, leisure and so on,” adds Sebastian.

In the first two years of business alone, ten of these boats were delivered to operate on offshore wind farms to provide support throughout projects around the UK. Today, a team of more than 50 technicians strive to build safer, faster and more enhanced composite high-speed vessels that are more cost-effective and innovative than before. These vessels will not only have applications in the offshore wind market, but also the military, security, expedition yacht and commercial sectors.

Elaborating on a recent military contract, Sebastian highlights: “In 2013 we built THOR11 which is a prototype vessel that was designed specifically for military purposes.

With such features as full ballistic protection including bullet resistant glazing, internal crew and troop shock mitigating seating this vessel is a revolutionary step in the maritime patrol and military vessel market.” Based on a proven offshore support vessel design, the CTruk THOR11 can be configured as a force protection craft, with a remote weapon system controlled within the craft, a troop carrier, with a focus on the safe and efficient transport of 22 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

troops to other vessels or beaches or riverine, a patrol vessel that provides extra fire power with quick response and high maneuverability features.

Meanwhile, in January 2015 the company announced it had signed a deal with the Port of London Authority (PLA) for a new purposebuilt hydrographic survey catamaran named Maplin, which was delivered in February 2016. The 17 metre CTruk vessel, which boasts a hydro-dynamically optimised twin hull design for smooth passages through the water, replaces the PLA’s Yantlet and will continue the PLA Hydrography team’s vital survey work that ensures safe navigation on the Thames. Able to accommodate up to 12 people (two crew and ten passengers), the vessel’s features include water-jet propulsion, a multi-beam sonar platform, a cruise speed of 18 knots, a survey speed of two knots; top-of-the-range echo sounding systems and ancillary survey equipment, a deck that can take loads of up to one tonne per square metre and a foldable knuckle crane.

Integral to delivering optimum quality, cost-effective and cutting edge vessels is the company’s forward-thinking approach to design and production. For example, CTruk Boats uses an innovative vacuum infusion process that ensures composite boats are built

to the highest possible standards while also saving up to 40 per cent on weight. Not only giving the CTruk range of vessels a smoother, more hydrodynamic shape when underwater than aluminium boats, the resin infusion composite also gives CTruk’s boats a strong and robust structure that reduces overall vessel weight while also providing significant time savings during operation and maintenance routines. Moreover, the resin infusion composite also offers cost savings in lifecycle maintenance and servicing. Overall, the reduction in weight provides customers with a greater payload, range and speed, while the closed process of manufacture virtually eliminated potentially harmful volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

To maintain optimum quality throughout production, the company has developed a modular manufacturing process, which not only increases production efficiency but also reduces build time.

Complementing this development in manufacture are the company’s effective working practices, which are at the very core of the company’s ethos alongside the delivery of safer, faster, better and more cost-effective solutions. By merging all of these strengths together, the ISO 9001:2008 certified company ensures customers receive marine craft and systems that are fully compliant with their operational requirements while also meeting their unique needs.

Always seeking out a fresh approach to the design and build of vessels, CTruk will continue to up the ranks against competitors in the production of composite high-speed marine craft while also identifying market spaces where it can improve an existing product to offer customers a safer, better, faster and more costeffective solution. “Over the next 12 months we will be focusing on the survey and security market to further develop our vessel portfolio,” concludes Sebastian.

CTruk Boats www.ctruk.com • Designs and builds high-speed marine craft • Uses a cutting-edge vacuum infusion process to save on weight • Launched a new class of military workboat in September 2015

Scott Bader Scott Bader is a €237 million global chemical company with over 60 years’ of technical expertise. While Scott Bader’s headquarters is based in the UK where it has purpose-built, state-of-the-art technical facilities that provide R & D as well as complete evaluation, testing and application support - it has manufacturing facilities in Europe, the Middle East, India, South Africa, Canada and South America.

More recently, Scott Bader has established a close working relationship with CTruk Boats Ltd. To further reduce weight, increase productivity and cut labour costs, Crystic Crestabond and Crystic Crestomer 1152PA structural adhesives are specified in all of CTruk’s composite marine craft for structurally bonding in hull stringers and bulkheads, transom sections, engine beds, deck sections and for hull to deck joints.

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Profile: Kuenz

First-class

technology

F

ounded in 1932 by Hans Kuenz, family-owned company Kuenz started out as a manufacturer of tower construction cranes before shifting its focus towards the production of container cranes; a development that was followed by progression into the manufacture of hydro power equipment. “In our early days we were more or less a German speaking company, however, over the last decade we have become more of an international company as a result of demand from Europe and North America. Although these markets are where you will mainly find our container cranes and hydro equipment, our products can be found all over the world; in fact, we are one of the few European companies to be selling cranes to China,” begins Michael Geiger, Sales Director at Kuenz.

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Today viewed as one of the oldest and most prestigious mechanical engineering companies in the western region of Austria, Kuenz has built a solid reputation for offering first class products and services from one source and boasts a turnover of e100 million. By acting as a one-stopshop, Kuenz is able to control the entire process from design, production, installation and commissioning, to after sales support; all of which are delivered while following best practice standards to ensure optimum quality and reliability. Meanwhile, the company boasts a high number of qualified and competent engineers, who are dedicated to ensuring the stringent standards of the firm as well as the expectations of each customer are met. These capabilities, alongside the fact it has its own in-house design, engineering and manufacturing departments, means Kuenz is able

to provide accurate, high quality solutions in an efficient and timely manner.

Benefiting from decades of experience in crane construction, Kuenz has gained strong expertise in the delivery of first-class quality products and has developed a broad product portfolio to meet the needs of its global customer base. Split into four segments, the company’s portfolio includes container cranes, tankhouse cranes, heavy lift cranes and custom cranes. On top of this, the company provides customers with a range of products within the hydro sector; these include high pressure gates, weir gates, powerhouse cranes and trash rack cleaning machines.

“Key to our competitiveness is our ability to come up with innovative ideas and solutions that we try to combine to stay one step ahead in the market,” explains Michael. “For

Left: CTA Container terminal Altenwerder Right: Michael Geiger, sales director at Kuenz

example, over the last 30 years, particularly in Europe, it has become clear that each container crane cannot be built like the next as our customers have different requirements. When it comes to the rail mounted container gantry cranes, which are designed as a two-girder bridge, some customers may have different sizes of land or be dedicated to different operations; some have gateway terminals and others have small terminals. In response to changes in the market, we have come up with a lot of different designs, ideas and innovations to ensure we have the right product available. When it comes to this market you can’t have a one system fits all mentality,” he adds.

Proud to deliver smooth connections to the hinterland, Kuenz has further enhanced operations for customers through its patented technology – the rotating travelling gear. This innovative solution enables all wheels to run on the track, which reduces

wear reduction of the wheel flanges and thus increase the lifetime of the wheels significantly. Furthermore, the company’s in-house developed and supported crane management system (CMS), completed with integrated remote fault finding function, guarantees optimised support throughout maintenance and operation. Also available to customers within this segment are the intermodal barge cranes, sophisticated automated container stacking cranes and spreaders. As one of the few crane suppliers to manufacture its own spreaders, the company is able to provide customers with a perfectly co-ordinated total package that ensures a high level of safety.

These strengths have resulted in a number of notable contracts for the company, with GCT Canada announcing its order of eight electric, wide-span cranes (WSC’s) from Kuenz in November 2015. Selected for their

SEW-Eurodrive Innovative strength, tradition and customer focus – these are the cornerstones of SEW-EURODRIVE’s success. This has not changed in 85 years and is as important to us as ever. With commitment and passion, our over 16,000 employees make sure that the machines and plants of our customers worldwide are reliably driven. With a comprehensive project portfolio and a wide variety of customer-oriented service modules, SEW-EURODRIVE offers its customers added value and measurable benefits. These benefits are clearly visible in our high-performance drives, top quality standards and customised solutions for customers.

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Profile: kuenz

Top: GCT Deltaport Vancouver Left: CSX Norwest Ohio Right: BASF KTL Ludwigshafen

proven reliability, productivity and sustainable innovation, the 41-tonne lift capacity, state-of-the-art cranes will increase train handling speed at GCT Deltaport and streamline equipment maintenance procedures.

Alongside this project, Kuenz was also awarded a contract for the supply of 12 automated stacking cranes for the Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB) by long-term customer Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA). Boasting a lifting capacity of 42 tonnes, the ASC’s will be 26 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

delivered in Spring 2016. “In the past we delivered 52 ASC’s to HHLA’s Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA); because the customer was pleased with the performance given at CTA they have returned to us for phase two of the Burchardkai transformation project,” explains Michael.

Well-renowned for providing specific solutions for clients, Kuenz aims to maintain this solid reputation by continuing to work closely with terminal owners, which will not only ensure customer satisfaction but also enables the firm to stay ahead of the competition when it comes to upcoming trends and demands in the

market. “Over the coming years we will develop our products in-house in accordance with customer needs while also increasing our market share and expanding more internationally. As equipment becomes increasingly more intelligent it is important to have our R&D and manufacturing operations in-house; if we didn’t it would be difficult to have a continuous process of innovation,” concludes Michael.

Kuenz www.kuenz.com/en • Manufactures intermodal cranes • EUR 100 million turnover • Control entire production process

Profile: Westcon Group

A flexible

service R

enowned as a leading provider of innovative solutions, services and products as well as a trusted partner in activities such as shipbuilding, vessel repair, power and automation and lifting services, the Westcon group established itself as a group of companies in 2011, with Westcon Yards, Westcon Power & Automation (WPA), Westcon Florø and Westcon Løfteteknikk all operating under the same umbrella.

This way of working has further combined the expertise within each division, which has naturally provided customers with increased benefits.

Consisting of four modern shipyards, each of which is equipped to carry out the most demanding vessels and rig contracts, Westcon Yards is defined by its efficient mobilisation of personnel and its resources as well as its ability to

complete projects on time. The group has three rig quays in Olen, one in Florø and one in Helgeland, which means it has plenty of space to accommodate many rigs at the same time and ensure optimum reliability to customers. However, capacity is just one part of its strengths; Westcon Yards also has strong expertise in project management and engineering as well as a tradition for dealing with challenges, which means the yard can deliver what it promises to customers.

Furthermore, Westcon can perform complete engineering, maintenance and modification projects on drilling rigs even if they are not in its yard; its success factors include strong rig awareness, excellent implementation ability and advanced use of 3D methods. Meanwhile, as Norway’s leading provider of cranes and heavylift services, Westcon Løfteteknikk offers access techniques, control and

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Profile: Westcon Group

certification, courses and training.

Westcon Power and Automation offers expertly tailored solutions that meet each customer’s unique needs, while Geo is the group’s site for its several seismic vessels; these offer cutting-edge seismic technology.

Westcon also has a Subsea department that produces and supplies advanced constructions for the subsea market. It sets high standards for the execution of its projects, something that ensures that the customer receives a finished product that is in accordance with their expectations regarding quality, costs, and delivery time.

All these departments benefit from a comprehensive, well integrated IT system called WIN (Westcon Information Systems). Introduced in 2014 WIN is a system for data collection, processing and control. Its objective is to document and provide an accurate overview of everything relevant to ongoing projects. It will also handle wage documentation and payment certificates, and generate the financial reports needed. WIN also includes systems for inventory and logistics, accommodation and dining, personnel, QA and HSE, document control and IT control system. “WIN brings significant advantages for our customers and 28 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

meeting the needs of our customers is crucial. The feedback we have received after the implementation of WIN is unanimously positive. Our customers can now receive reports in more varied formats that are better tailored to their own IT systems. In general, WIN provides customers with a far better overview than previously,” states Arne Birkeland, CEO of Westcon Group.

Continuing a tradition that has been in place since its inception in 1963, the Westcon Group of companies has continued to evolve in line with market trends and customer demands since it was previously featured in Shipping & Marine magazine in February 2015. For example, the group invested in two pipe bending machines during the year, with the smaller of the machines delivered in March and the world’s largest machine arriving in the summer from Unison. “Now that we have the largest electrical bending machine in the world operating at our site, we are now heavily involved in bending pipes and can cold bend up to ten inch pipes resulting in much shorter delivery time and cost than before,” adds Arne.

Indeed, the ground-breaking larger pipe-bending machine is able to bend pipes up to ten inches in diameter in approximately half an hour; this is in comparison to a bend that previously

took 16 hours of cutting out parts, bending and welding; the smallest machine, meanwhile, can bend pipes in under a minute. With lasers and computers controlling all parts of the pipe bending process, accuracy is at such a level that piping can be delivered to the subsea and aerospace industries.

Determined to succeed in a challenging market, Arne says the group has also invested in other areas of the business: “We have also invested in fabrication halls and new equipment and have a large hall for upgrades and modifications for BOPs and thrusters for the drilling rigs that we can do completely in-house as we have significant lifting capacity and height. As we speak we have a BOP maintenance job ongoing, which is going well and are also preparing to add drilling rigs at our yard in Florø.

We already have a quay side, cranes and an access system available, so we are ready to roll when the market picks up.”

Other major contracts within the group include WPA being contracted to deliver the innovative energy storage system to Eidesvik Offshore’s LNG fuelled vessel Viking Energy.

Developed by WPA and based on its e-SEAMatic platform with associated power electronics, the battery system

solution will reduce fuel consumption by 15 – 20 per cent. “The battery concept is due for delivery in 2016 and has been developed to store energy to ensure customers use it in the most efficient way. These systems are now coming onto the Norwegian market from several players so we are extremely pleased that we were chosen to provide this system. We also see opportunities for this system in the ferry business in Norway so our initiative is ongoing,” notes Arne.

Not a company to rest on its laurels, WPA announced in January 2016 that it had signed a four-year operating agreement in electrical and instrumentation with Statoil, which applies to projects at processing plants for gas at Kårstø, and also contains options for five times two years. No stranger to working with Statoil as a group, the business Westcon Løfteteknikk has also been awarded a frame agreement with Statoil for the delivery of lifting

equipment containers in addition to the competent control of non-complex lifting equipment. Discussing why Westcon Løfteteknikk was chosen for this project, Arne states: “We have been working on these solutions for many years and have finally been successful in entering this frame agreement with Statoil.”

Although the market is currently challenging for many in the shipping and oil and gas industries, by investing in new equipment and facilities Westcon Group has helped cement its leading reputation while also ensuring it is ready to support larger and heavier vessels and rigs when they come into the market.

Westcon Group http://westcon.no • Family owned and run business • Awarded contracts with oil majors such as Statoil • Invested in the world’s biggest electrical pipe bending machine

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Profile: Factorias Vulcano Seismic vessel: Polar Duchess

Technology

at sea

W

ith roots dating back as far as 1919, when the company was founded as a boiler repair shop in the Spanish city of Vigo, Factorias Vulcano has a rich tradition of shipbuilding that began during 1940. Initially the business operated as a shipbuilder and repair yard and gradually continued to expand and develop its facilities in order to allow it to tackle newbuild projects. Over the years Factorias Vulcano has moved away from the fabrication of ‘standard’ vessel designs such as cargo and fishing trawlers and applied its specialist knowledge to the production of complex niche craft including

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seismic, offshore construction vessels, oceanographic and research vessels and chemical vessels (coated and stainless steel).

Factorias Vulcano was last profiled by Shipping & Marine magazine during November 2013 when Managing Director, Jose Luis Mendez explained the shift of production from standardised to specialist vessels as linked to the increase in competition in general vessel construction. Shipyards based in Korea and China for example are able to engage in the production of uniformly designed ships including cargo, container and fishing vessels more cheaply than other yards around the world. As a European

shipyard, Factorias Vulcano has concentrated on the development of niche vessels that are typically more sophisticated and employ much higher levels of technology.

Throughout the construction of its complex vessel designs, Factorias Vulcano employs market-leading technologies to ensure that the yard is able to manufacture craft to highest standards of reliability and quality.

This was demonstrated during 1993 when Factorias Vulcano became the first DNV’s private shipyard to achieve ISO 9001 accreditation.

In the wake of this achievement the company maintained its focus on quality and later was awarded DNV Certification of Integrated

Mobile Ro-Ro ramp for Spain’s Port of Vigo

Management System for the design and build of steel vessels and offshore installations, in compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.

Factorias Vulcano uses a block building technique during the construction of its vessels, delivering everything in-house from innovative design through to solid pre-fabrication activities and ultimately final assembly. Stateof-the-art technologies are applied during the construction including computer-assisted design, numerical control cutting, automatic welding, and laser controlled sizing. This means that Factorias Vulcano is able to build vessels with a high degree of advanced outfitting and quality. The Factorias Vulcano yard encompasses an area of 79,283m2 and is divided in several key areas, including an external 2300m2 metre prefabrication and assembly support area, a central prefabrication area of 7500m2 , including 3000m2 undercover, and a second similar sized prefabrication

hall to the south. The yard’s facilities are further complemented by a 1000m2 block painting shop, as well as a 170-metre long slipway and a north and south quay. Additionally Factorias Vulcano has further enhanced its production capacity through the investment of new roofing on its steel workshop and a new cover and lighting facility since 2013.

During its history, Factorias Vulcano has provided vessels for clients throughout Europe and around the world. In recent months the company has completed a number of projects for customers, including the completion during June 2015 of a large steel structure to be installed on a Baleària Group ferry to accommodate a natural gas generator.

The generator represents the first of its kind in Spain and will be fitted to the Baleària Group ferry, Abel Matutes, which currently sails the company’s Barcelona-Palma line. The generator is designed to supply power

SENER SENER is a multidisciplinary engineering company, 100 per cent private, with activities in the aerospace, defense, civil engineering, energy and marine sectors. SENER’s Marine Business Unit provides a broad range of services to shipowners, yards and other marine organisations, with special relevance in the area of concept design of vessels and offshore structures. SENER develops and markets the FORAN CAD system, the state-of-the-art computer application for ship design, used in more than 100 yards and design offices worldwide.

www.shipping-and-marine.com - 31

Profile: Factorias Vulcano

Offshore construction vessels: Boa Sub C and Boa Deep C

Shipyard’s aerial view

to the ship while it is docked at port to maintain heating, electricity and air conditioning services, allowing the crew to disconnect the vessel’s diesel engines.

The construction of the structure containing the generator was subsequently loaded onto a barge for transportation to Navantia Repairs in Cádiz for installation.

The construction of the structure accounted for two months work and employed 35 workers. For the purpose of installation, 20 Factorias

Vulcano workers travelled with the structure and installed pipe connections between the generator and the ship’s boiler over the course of around 15 days.

In November 2015, Factorias Vulcano also launched a new mobile Ro-Ro ramp for Spain’s Port of Vigo. The launching ceremony of the mobile Ro-Ro ramp was held on the 27th November 2015 and will ‘increase the range of potential customers on the motorway of the sea’ between Vigo and Nantes, France. The new Ro-Ro system was implemented to significantly increase the operational windows of Ro-Ro operations at the Vigo port, where previously loading operations had depended on the state of local tides for the loading and unloading of trailers. The relief of what had previously been described as a ‘great problem’ is of significant benefit to logistical firms, particularly those associated with refrigerated loads and fisheries and will ultimately allow for greater flows of traffic through the port, resulting in significant economic benefits.

With the shipping market remaining highly competitive and activity levels staying low, Factorias Vulcano is committed to its strategy of delivering high technology developments. This enables it to be much more competitive against low cost manufacturers that may not have the skills to deliver these more complex vessels. Further to this focus, Factorias Vulcano announced in December 2015 that it has entered into a joint venture with AIMEN Technology Centre. Under the name Innflexion, the partnership will focus on the development of intelligent manufacturing techniques and high productivity for the shipbuilding industry. Through the development of innovative market technology and the provision of technically advanced vessels, Factorias Vulcano is set to remain a leader in innovation afloat.

Factorias Vulcano www.factoriasvulcano.com • Niche vessel design • New Ro-Ro craft for 2015 • Strong industry experience

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Profile: eriK thun ab

Sailing into the

future W

hen Shipping & Marine last spoke with Erik Thun back in March 2015, Deputy Managing Director, Henrik Källsson, discussed the company’s ambitions to reduce its environmental impact and help improve Sweden’s internal infrastructure through the use of inland waterways. Nine months on and the family-run ship owner has

begun to make progress in realising these objectives.

“First of all we have taken delivering of ‘Greenland’, which is a dedicated cement carrier for dry bulk with LNG propulsion,” Henrik highlights. “This is our first LNG powered ship and one of the world’s first dry bulk cargo vessels to use dual fuel propulsion, so it is a really big step for us.” Launched in October ‘M.V. Greenland’, was built by www.shipping-and-marine.com - 33

Profile: ERIK THUN ab

This is our first LNG powered ship and one of the world’s first dry bulk cargo vessels to use dual fuel propulsion, so it is a really big step for us

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shipyard, Ferus Smit BV for the joint venture, JT Cement, a co-operation between KG Jebsen Cement and Erik Thun. Significantly, the new ship will meet the most stringent emission criteria, as well as any new norms that might come into force in the future.

“It was a big challenge developing the vessel before the actual rules came into play but together with our strong partners we have come a long way and she is finally running on LNG power,” says Henrik.

Keen to continue the development of its fleet with LNG-fuelled vessels, in November 2015, the company announced the order of its second dual fuelled vessel from Chinese shipyard, AVIC Dingheng Shipbuilding, with delivery due in 2018. Aside from LNG solutions, Erik Thun has also been looking closely at how it can improve the environmental impact across its whole fleet and a number of options have been investigated. “We are always looking into new ways of reducing our bunker consumption for instance,” explains Henrik. “We have looked into scrubber technology but have found that this wouldn’t be the best investment on our fleet so right now we are focusing on how we can use less bunker fuels. This is being achieved with technology that enables

the engine to decrease its revolutions and increase propeller performance, as well as by continuously monitoring our consumption and looking at new ways of improving that.”

Erik Thun is also looking at implementing ballast treatment solutions across its fleet to meet new regulations. However, as Henrik explains, there are many challenges in rolling this out effectively. “We currently have two systems installed but we are finding that their reliability is not as good as we expected,” he says. “We are presently going through a process of testing to make sure they can work properly, before we introduce it to the rest of the fleet.”

As part of Erik Thun’s offering to its regional market in Sweden, the company has been focusing over the course of 2015 on improving seabased logistics. In May, in partnership with Ahlmark Lines AB and Verenigde Tankrederij, it appointed Johan Lantz as the new CEO of JV company, Avatar Logistics AB to manage solutions for the inland waterways in Sweden. “We really believe that there is potential for development of seabased logistic solutions both in Lake Vänern and in Lake Mälaren, because the regulations for traffic on the Swedish inland waterways are now about to be adapted so that shipping

can become more competitive,” says Henrik. “Additionally, we also see that the new types of sustainable maritime solutions that we will offer in the long-term, can replace road transport in highly congested and environmentally affected areas. We hope to see things really moving with this by the second quarter of 2016.”

As far as the next year is concerned, continuing as it has done will be key to Erik Thun realising its visions of greater market share and environmentally sound operations. At the end of 2015, the company took ownership of the 8000dwt m/t Nordic Trine vessel from Nordic Tankers to expand its footprint in the European 5000-10,000 dwt small product tanker sector. Bringing the company’s total tanker fleet up to 16 vessels in operation and 14 under its ownership, the acquisition puts the company in good stead as it looks to achieve these objectives over the course of 2016.

With global market challenges placing pressures on many of Erik Thun’s operations at present, ensuring that it can perform in the best way possible to support its clients is also central to the company’s strategy as it moves forward. “There will also be lots of focus on reducing costs across our different businesses and implementing best practice throughout all of these,” outlines Henrik. “Of course, we will also be looking further into many environmental aspects of the business, looking particularly at more LNG options. Then, in the longer term we will be looking at expanding our presence across Europe through JV partnerships, and beyond that considering international growth.”

Erik Thun AB www.thun.se • Established 1938 • Vessel owner and management company • Fleet of over 40 modern vessels

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Profile: Vyborg Shipyard

In demand

W

ith more than 65 years of experience in shipbuilding, Vyborg Shipyard PJSC today is one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the North-Western Region of Russia. Since its foundation in 1948, the company has built more than 200 vessels with a deadweight of up to 12,000 tonnes, with a total displacement of 1,550,000 tonnes. To ensure its impeccable reputation continues, the company employs more than 1500 personnel, many of which are specialists that are certified by the leading international classification societies such as Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, RINA, Germanischer Lloyd and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

Core activities of Vyborg Shipyard are the construction of small and medium tonnage vessels, a service that began more than 50 years ago when the company began building and trading vessels such as timber carriers, cargo ships, container vessels, and special

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vessels. Well-equipped for constructing vessels to the optimum levels of quality and safety, the shipyard is able to perform the full production cycle, from the issue of working documentation, to planning, calculations, procurement, fabrication, testing and, finally, the handing over of a completed vessel to the customer both on time and at the agreed contract price.

In addition, the company has gained a leading reputation for building drilling platforms for open seas in Russia over the last 35 years.

Indeed, since entering the oil and gas market in 1978, Vyborg Shipyard has been involved in major projects such as building offshore facilities for the Caspian Sea block-modules and pontoons for six semi-submersible drilling rigs along with four ‘turnkey’ built drilling rigs. Moreover, during the period of 1994 to 1997, the company performed modernisation works on two semi-submersible drilling platforms in order to allow them to work in the Atlantic at a sea depth of up to

2000 metres. To extend columns and pontoons of the platforms during this project, a unique lifting operation was performed. The capabilities and expertise of the company within this sector has not gone unnoticed in the industry, with Vyborg Shipyard being recognised as the best company in the construction of floating drilling rigs and supply vessels at the tenth annual Neftegazshelf 2015 conference.

Alongside operations within these areas, the versatile Vyborg Shipyard is also able to take on special projects, ship repair and modernisation and steel production. Special projects include the production of a power distribution module for the first sea ice-proof stationary platform in the world, which was delivered on June 4th 2006.

More recent projects for the shipyard include the construction of two project 21900M icebreakers, Vladivostok and Murmansk, under the Federal Target Programme for the Development of the Transport System of Russia (2010 – 2015). In comparison to the

older project 21900 class icebreakers, the newer project 21900M vessels boast higher performance characteristics and has been classified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) as the ice class, Icebreaker6.

Intended for operations in the Baltic Sea and the Northern Sea Route along the Russian Arctic coast, the vessels will have a maximum icebreaking capability of 1.5 metres.

With Vladivostok fully constructed in mid 2015, the official ceremony of lifting the National Flag onto the vessel took place on September 23rd where it was announced the most up-to-date and most powerful of all diesel-electric powered icebreakers in operation within the Russian Federation. Following the ceremony, Vyborg Shipyard completed sea trials of the icebreaker in October 2015; these trials included testing the vessel’s speed and maneuvering characteristics, performance and compatibility of ship systems and equipment as well as operation capacity of the propulsion plant alongside electrical, radio and navigation equipment. Confirmed to be in compliance of all technical characteristics of the icebreaker technical design by Vyborg Shipyard specialists, the vessel was then delivered to the customer.

Hot on the heels of its sister vessel was the Icebreaker Murmansk project 21900M, which was delivered to the Federal Agency of Marine and River Transport on 25th December 2015.

With a full range of design and turnkey construction works completed on these projects, the icebreakers 21900M will ensure optimum winter navigation assistance in the Baltic Sea as well as the Arctic region. As part of the commemorative event, the icebreaker Murmansk also had the flag of the Russian Federation hoisted onto it.

Both vessels will offer independent ice escorting of heavy tonnage vessels, as well as towage, fire fighting on floaters and other facilities; additionally, they will offer salvage and assistance to distressed vessels as well as the

transportation of cargoes.

Following the hand over of Vladivostok and Murmansk, the company is now focusing on the construction of the third serial build Icebreaker Novorossiysk project 21900M. With the solemn launching ceremony taking place on October 29th, the company has since been busy performing further outfitting works in advance of sea and ice trials before the vessel will be delivered as part of the development of the Russian transport system (2010 – 2020).

With the keel-laying ceremony of the icebreaking support vessels for Gazprom Neft taking place in November and December 2015, the company has enjoyed a fruitful 2015 thanks to its dedication to quality, safety, efficiency, innovation and punctuality. As it moves forward, this proven reputation is certain to result in continued success for Vyborg Shipyard as major shipping and oil and gas firms increasingly rely on the company to deliver the very best solutions to their ever-evolving requests.

Vyborg Shipyard vyborgshipyard.ru/en/ • Leading shipyard in Russia • Recently constructed icebreaker 21900 M Vladivostok • Preparing to construct another vessel currently

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Profile: Team tankers INTERNATIONAL

Built on

tradition

T

he Team Tankers International that exists today can look back on a long and proud tradition in the shipping industry to origins as far back as 1883 with the foundation of Camillo Eitzen & Co. Through a continual process of acquisition and restructuring the company has developed over the years to become one of the world’s leading chemical tanker businesses.

Formerly known as Eitzen Chemical, as of January 2015, the company began operating under its new name following a global reorganisation that saw the firm’s international headquarters move to Bermuda, and operationally managed from subsidiary offices in Singapore in Norway. In February 2015, Team Tankers International was listed

Hempel Hempel is a world-leading coatings supplier for the decorative, protective, marine, container and yacht markets. From wind turbines and bridges to ships, power stations and homes, its coatings protect man-made structures from the corrosive forces of nature.

With a focus on R&D, advanced production techniques and professional advice, it works around the globe to keep its customers’ investments safe and beautiful. Its concept is simple: it is curious, creative and self-critical, and aims to create extra value for its customers.

on the Oslo Stock Exchange and a successful year followed.

Being amongst the top ten largest chemical tanker operators in the world, in terms of both fleet number and average vessel size, Team Tankers has established over a long history a reputation for leading operational capabilities, an insatiable appetite for growth and an exemplary attitude to delivering value to its customers. Its main cargoes range from organic and non-organic chemicals to clean and dirty petroleum products, vegetable oils and lubricant oils. At present the company has a fleet of 43 active ships with an average age of ten years making Team Tankers’ fleet one of the youngest and most modern in the world. These include 32 owned vessels and 11 charters between 3500 dwt and 46,000 dwt, with a 42 per cent to 58 per cent split between stainless steel and coated, respectively.

Manned by 1250 experienced crew members and supported by 80 onshore employees in seven strategically placed offices around the world, in 2014 Team Tankers carried 48 different cargo types for 189 different customers. This translates into 9.1 million tonnes

of cargo across the entire year with 787 voyages between 2833 ports in 97 countries. Offices are currently located in the USA (two), Bermuda, Norway, Denmark, Spain and Singapore. Operating on such a global scale, Team Tankers’ main trade lines bridge all the key chemical supply markets in the US, Northwest Europe, Singapore and the Middle East to the main importers in Europe, Asia and North America.

The strategic focus for Team Tankers continues to be on organisational growth and a look at its activities for the past year clearly demonstrates this. Company President and CEO, Hans Feringa joined the team in September 2015 and Executive Chairman, Morten Arntzen commented at the time on the ambitions of Team Tankers under Hans’ leadership: “We are delighted that Hans will now be leading the company as it focuses on growth and expansion. He brings unequalled industry experience and an outstanding track record of success. His insights and experience will drive Team Tankers’ strategy to excel at serving our clients and their markets in the years ahead.” www.shipping-and-marine.com - 39

Profile: team teankers INTERNATIONAL

The new livery of Team Tankers

Hans himself followed on by saying: “The employees of Team Tankers have a long and proud tradition in the shipping industry, and I am honoured to uphold this tradition while leading the company into new areas of opportunity. The company’s commitment to providing value to its customers will establish it as a market leader in the market segments in which we will compete.”

Following this move and illustrating this refined strategy of growth, a month later the company 40 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

announced that ABN AMRO Bank had joined its existing loan facility increasing Team Tanker’s loan by $50 million to $150 million. In the same month, the company announced that it would be time chartering two 13,000 dwt coated vessels for one year, which are expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2016. Further committing to fleet expansion, in November the company took delivery of one MR IMO II vessel for a time charter of one year, and announced the purchase of one 8900-dwt stainless steel vessel, also to be delivered during the first quarter of 2016. Keen to maintain the upto-date fleet and focused operational strategy this coincided with the sale of two of Team Tanker’s oldest vessels, the Sichem Houston and the Sichem Fumi, which were both no longer a fit for the fleet’s focus.

This assertive effort to stimulate growth and expansion in the market correlates with present market forecasts. These see regions in

the Middle East, India and North America becoming even more prominent in the chemical trade industry as a result of growth in chemical plant and petroleum refinery capacity within them. The company also foresees the US’s increased shale gas development having a positive effect on the demand for long haul chemical tanker transportation.

Operating successfully in the international market however, does not purely mean operating in a financially streamlined and strategically focused way for Team Tankers. Alongside this runs a dedicated set of values, which are neatly summed up by its strap line: ‘Superior commitment to customers and quality creates value.’

Under these ambitions, the global organisation focuses on safety and the environment, the quality of its service, its commitment to both its customers and people, as well as the encouragement of new thinking and proactive development. Central to the way it conducts its business under these commitments lay the three integral values of respect, commitment, and honesty, which are directed both towards its people and the environment in which it operates.

Team Tankers International www.teamtankers.com • Amongst the top ten largest chemical tanker operators • 2015 seen a major organisational restructure and new leadership • Clear plans for growth with new vessels added to fleet

Profile: YARA MARINE TECHNOLOGIES

A greener

way Y

ara Marine Technologies came into existence in 2014 following the acquisition of Greentech Marine, founded in 2008, by global industrial chemical corporation Yara International. With scrubber technology relatively new to the shipping industry Yara Marine Technologies occupies a global position amongst the top flight of manufacturers, and is often seen to be leading the way. “We were the first into the market with inline scrubbers,” begins Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Kai Latun. “Now there are no other inline scrubber manufacturers in the market with the same level of experience as us in terms of operational hours.”

In a burgeoning and ever-evolving market such as marine scrubber technology, being able to drive innovation and cost effectiveness into its products is crucial for Yara Marine

Technologies to maintain this leading position. However, there are three areas where Yara Marine Technologies offers competitive advantages. “Firstly we have a scrubber system that has been proven to work since 2011 and have therefore developed a lot of experience and understanding,” he says. “Secondly, is our emphasis on lifetime durability of the scrubber tower.

“This is a system that is exposed to an extremely aggressive environment in terms of corrosion because it sees large temperature variations from ambient right up to 400 degrees Celsius and is hosting a combination of alkalis and acids mixed with sea water. We use fairly sophisticated stainless steel materials to provide long term durability in line with the actual vessel’s lifetime, reducing the risk of corrosion breakdown and expensive replacement costs.

“Finally is the fact that we offer www.shipping-and-marine.com - 41

Profile: YARA MARINE TECHNOLOGIES

Being the largest supplier of marine NOx emissions abatement equipment (SCR reactors) we are the only complete onestop-shop for all required emissions abatements equipment to marine customers magnesium oxide (MgO) as the alkali in closed-loop applications, as opposed to caustic soda (sodium hydroxide – NaOH), which other manufacturers use.” When operating in zero discharge areas a vessel’s scrubber systems automatically switches to a closed-loop cycle, reusing the seawater with an alkali ensuring the scrubbing process continues as required. “There are two reasons why we use MgO over caustic soda here,” explains Kai. “Firstly, caustic soda is hazardous in use for the ship’s crew, whereas MgO is completely harmless. Health and safety always features very heavily in everything Yara Marine Technologies commits to, so this consideration is important.

“The second advantage is that MgO has a far lower operational cost. The price per tonne is more or less the same as caustic soda depending on variations, but the volume of MgO required in a scrubber system is only approx. one quarter of your corresponding caustic soda requirement. Being this much more efficient, the cost per system is far reduced in comparison, both in terms of alkali consumption cost and with respect to required storage space onboard.”

In terms of the market conditions Kai notes that competition is 42 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

tough with many other players quickly adopting similar designs and innovations. Pressure is further increased in a global shipping economy where – thanks to such low oil prices – ultralow sulphur bunker fuels are still providing cost effective solutions to overcome ECA (emission control area) challenges. Despite this he remains confident that by continuing to push on with innovation Yara Marine Technologies will be able to remain on top. “One of the good things about having an international corporation such as Yara as our owner (one that employs over 12,000 people across 150 countries and turns over USD 15 billion), is the vast research and development capability it gives us,” Kai adds.

In October 2015, cruise ship M/V Norwegian Escape set sail for the first time with the world’s largest scrubber system installed onboard. The system, which is made up of five Yara Marine Technologies scrubbers – one for each engine – is reducing the sulphur emissions of a combined engine power of 76.8MW. “The market has been somewhat hesitant to make the move to scrubber technology mainly because of the low price differential between heavy fuel oil and marine gas oil,” says Kai. “However, despite the challenges this is creating, the response

to this announcement has been positive. I don’t think everyone in the industry truly realised that you could successfully operate a scrubber system of that magnitude.”

In addition to its scrubber offering, Technologies is also the world’s largest supplier of marine SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) equipment, following the acquisition of German manufacturer, H und H in 2013.

“As of January 1st 2016, IMO now regulates nitrogen oxides as well as sulphur oxides emissions,” Kai notes. “Being the largest supplier of marine NOx emissions abatement equipment (SCR reactors) we are the only complete one-stop-shop for all required emissions abatements equipment to marine customers.

Competitors either offer SOx scrubbers or SCR reactors, we do both.”

With such a strong platform already established for itself, the future for Technologies looks set to be fruitful

and Kai reflects this sentiment as he looks towards the company’s future.

“Quite simply the vision is to grow – knowledge grows,” he says. “To maintain our large market share and to continue developing new products to bring value to our customers.” He is also confident that more and more opportunities will open up and market uptake of scrubber technology will increase as time goes by. “The IMO is currently evaluating whether it is feasible to implement a global 0.5 per cent sulphur limit on fuel in 2020,” he notes. “They are looking into whether there are sufficient levels of lowsulphur fuels or alternative solutions like scrubbers available for such a regulation to be possible. However, my opinion is that with the current economic and political environment surrounding global climate change as it is, it would be unfeasible for them not to bring in such standards and it will be interesting to see what opportunities this brings for us.”

Yara Marine Technologies www.yaramarine.com • Formerly Greentech Marine • Now part of Yara International • Recently installed the largest scrubber system in the world

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Profile: Bogerd Martin

Top of the

charts

W

ith roots dating back as far as 1911, Bogerd Martin has achieved over a century of proven experience in the supply of charts and nautical publications to the marine industry.

The company has developed a leading reputation in the field of critical navigational data and today operates as one of the largest global distributors of charts and nautical publications in both digital and print formats.

With a strong global presence, Bogerd Martin is able to respond to customer requests for printed and electronic charts that ensure vessels receive critical navigational data wherever they are in the world in a rapid, accurate and efficient manner.

From its headquarters in Antwerp the 44 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

business has strategically expanded its presence with offices in Shanghai and Tianjin in China, from where it not only provides charts, but also technical and safety equipment to bustling shipyards, including a significant quantity of electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) developed by PC Maritime.

Furthermore, during January 2014 the company established a new office in the heart of Hong Kong’s shipping community to help it meet the needs of its clients in the region. Additionally in September 2015, Bogerd Martin opened a new sales office in Athens in support of the Greek market.

“We opened up our sales office in Athens to be closer to the Greek region, which is a very large market.

Certainly when it come to trends

such as the transition from paper to digital charts, it is necessary to have a local presence so that we are able to support our customer base,” explains Managing Director, Michael Martin.

“Our previously opened Hong Kong office has progressed extremely well.

We have enjoyed a very positive year during 2015 and clients are aware of our presence, which has led to strong business.”

Since the company was last profiled

by Shipping and Marine magazine during March 2015, Bogerd Martin has released the latest edition of its Chart Track Navigator tool for the managing of inventories, orders and corrections on board ship.

Designed as a user-friendly computer programme, Chart Track Navigator enables a vessel’s crew to list their

inventory, to activate or deactivate geographical areas depending on the ship’s route, as well as to download vessel-specific notices to mariners and tracings via email. Chart Track Navigator software further allows crew to visualise paper chart holdings on a digital catalogue and easily select charts that are required for the coming voyage. “Chart Track is a programme has existed for around 12 years now and we have recently upgraded the programme to provide clients with a completely different look, an improved interface and a new catalogue that can be used to select specific charts and publications,” Michael elaborates.

“With the ongoing transition within the maritime industry from paper to digital charts, there is a need to have a simplified platform with which to manage all the data that requires updating. The principle difference between electronic navigational charts (ENC) when compared to working with paper charts is that when clients buy a paper chart, they will use it for two to three years or whenever an updated version is released. The use of ENC means that users are actually renting the chart data for specified amounts of time, which can be anything from three to six or 12 months as required.”

By allowing clients to purchase navigation data for specific routes and timescales as required, Chart Track Navigator offers an effective and cost effective solution when compared to traditional paper charts. Previously when ship owners and vessel managers acquired new tonnage, they would supply the new vessels with all of the required paper charts for the foreseeable future. The ability to digitally purchase charts as required, as well as to effectively manage vast chart catalogues represent significant strengths that have enabled Chart Track Navigator to establish itself as a trusted navigation solution within several maritime sectors. “Chart Track Navigation is very well suited to the tanker trade for example, because these kinds of vessels are very carefully vetted. One of the issues that always checked by oil majors and industry regulators is the correction of charts.

Consequently electronic solutions for managing those charts are very popular in this sector,” Michael says.

“Additionally, we are also active across the entire field of vessels and have a very large number of offshore clients. Although offshore vessels have a limited number of charts on board, they often operate within areas where it is not easy for them to receive www.shipping-and-marine.com - 45

Profile: Bogerd Martin

parcels and supplies, so it is much more convenient for them to receive charts and corrections electronically.”

Through its commitment to on-going product development, incorporating its vast base of industry experience and close attention to the

needs of its clients, in addition to a dedicated aftersales support team, Bogerd Martin has enjoyed a strong history of success. This was typified throughout 2015 by an extremely positive year for the company, as Michael reveals: “This year has been a remarkably good year for us, after two or three years of relatively flat sales, we have had a huge boost this year. In fact sales are up by almost as much as 40 per cent when compared to 2014. We have seen an increase in turnover with a number of our existing customers because a number of them have acquired new vessels or in the case of ship management companies, they have taken more ships into management. I think that the fact we do offer an extremely high level of service and have done so for a long time means that customers are aware of us and know that we will take care of them. In this business it is important that clients come back to us every day with lots of small orders and it is only possible to do this with excellent client service.”

As the company prepares to navigate into 2016, Bogerd Martin will continue to support clients in the transition from paper to digital charts, while continuing to ensure that accurate paper charts and nautical publications remain available. “The transition from digital to paper requires a lot of effort from ship owners and ship managers, in terms of implementation, training and so forth. Therefore they require a partner who can help them manage all of the data that needs to be installed and maintained,” Michael concludes. “We have an entire digital team that is dedicated to this project and this will be something that we will continue to focus on. We are keen to increase our penetration into the digital market as paper charts become less common.

Paper charts will not disappear completely, but certainly there is a migration to digital solutions and Bogerd Martin is at the forefront.”

Bogerd Martin www.martin.be • One of largest distributors of charts and nautical publications • Recently updated the Chart Track Navigator programme • Strengthened foothold with new office in Hong Kong and sales office in Athens

46 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

Profile: Protection Vessels International

Threat

protection S

hipping and Marine last featured Protection Vessels International Ltd (PVI), the world’s largest private maritime security service, back in April this year. Over the months that followed the company, which is a part of Protection Group International, has made significant progression in terms of growing its business and providing critical services to an industry that faces ever present threats in the world’s shipping regions.

“Over this time PVI has had a successful year in which our top line sales and volume have grown quite pleasantly at a time when the industry as a whole is shrinking,” begins MD, Matthew Parker. “To start with, we have implemented a lot of efficiencies across the business to make sure our standards of compliance are still the highest in the business, whilst ensuring that our

profits continue to increase so that we can re-invest in the business. We have also strengthened our supply chain, which we own ourselves, so we have vessels in the Red Sea that enable our re-supply and ongoing operations, and we also have a significant hub in Galle in Sri Lanka. This really sets us apart – recent changes in Galle with ongoing political instability in the region has been really significant as we have invested heavily there, whilst others have not.

“We have also developed our intelligence product, which includes a free risk portal providing users with a geopolitical risk analysis tool enabling them to measure and understand risk in different areas of the world.

From this we can generate bespoke reporting and monitoring of events in specific jurisdictions.”

Compliance is where PVI is really able to set itself apart from the industry and over the last couple of www.shipping-and-marine.com - 47

Profile: Protection Vessels International

months the company has successfully passed its ISO audit and reapplied for its German Flagged licence. Matthew puts this down to the people it recruits and the continual training programme they are put through.

“The screening and vetting of any applicant wanting to work for PVI is extremely stringent and the bar is high,” he says. “Not only do we want lots of relevant military experience but also private sector experience.

Our refresher training and ongoing programme to bring people up to speed on the threats they will face and the changing environment in the specific geographies they will operate in is second to none.”

Outside shipping, the two areas of offshore oil and gas and telecoms have also been key markets for PVI over the last year. Despite challenges from the current oil price putting pressure on the company’s operations in the offshore sector, PVI has established strong and long-lasting relationships with clients who call upon its security services all across the globe. “In terms of telecoms we have made a big push into this market recently and are working a lot with subsea cable layers as well as onshore installation builders and suppliers across Africa,” says Matthew.

Its ability to offer such a professional and responsive service to the international market is absolutely key to PVI’s success when considering the volatility of global politics. “It is always a rollercoaster ride because we are constantly responding to 48 - www.shipping-and-marine.com

global macroeconomic events, including events in Syria, which are reverberating across oil prices, and therefore the shipping industry,” he adds. “We are constantly cutting the cloth to listen to the pressures that our customers are under and try to respond to those as best as we can, whether they be new threats from cyber security or traditional threats at sea. Piracy, for instance, is constantly changing in form, so we try to respond to that, listening to our customers and what their needs are and providing them with a solution or service to fit.”

One such event, which has required PVI’s flexible response, is the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.

Not least has this caused issues for many of the company’s clients who have had to divert or delay course to avoid getting caught up in the problems, but PVI has also played a significant role in ensuring the best support can be provided to the situation. “Some vessels have taken several thousand migrants onboard at a time and that can be a massive headache for operators,” Matthew explains. “Our services revolve primarily around training in the first instance to prepare crew for the event of picking people up, so things like vetting and screening people coming onboard, having safe areas, reception centres and making sure they are properly equipped with medical supplies and other things that will make life onboard more bearable in the situation. We also do a lot of

medical training to make sure the crew are fully up to speed with the sorts of things they will encounter, and this extends to post-traumatic stress management so that we can look after the crew and support crew who may not be psychologically prepared to deal with this type of situation.”

Other geographies of particular focus for PVI are the Indian Ocean, although India’s west coast has become less of a risk more recently, the Persian Gulf, South Africa, Red Sea and Sri Lanka. “We’ve also been quite active in the US, where we deal with a lot environmental activists and the threat from NGOs,” says Matthew. “For example, we have been supporting the exploration activities of oil companies and making sure we can help them maintain their business continuity from some of the softer threats such as Greenpeace, who we have previously dealt with on Arctic exploration projects.”

As PVI looks ahead, it is keen to help build resilience in the market towards terrorism, which Matthew notes doesn’t have to be a major worry but is important that the crew are trained and confident to deal with worst-case scenarios. It also sees developing issues in South East Asia with maritime crime becoming an increasing problem for which PVI is prepared to deploy guards and provide training to overcome.

Elsewhere the company will be looking at expanding its footprint

complacent however, as piracy and other dangers continue to evolve and emerge. Ultimately, we will be prepared to assist them whatever their need be, as we are a company that is here for the long term. I also think there is a major opportunity for us in the cyber domain where we have become preeminent amongst UK cyber security companies and we are well poised to take advantage and support new and existing customers as and when the need arises. This is both in terms of pre-empting a cyber attack or in the wake of an increasing number of attacks happening.”

in telecoms as cable upgrade and extension projects become busier, as well as preparing itself to react as soon as the oil and gas market picks up and increased exploration activity will demand more security.

PVI’s parent company, PGI, has also made significant progress with its cyber security division over the last year, which has developed its reputation inline with the growing success of PVI. “We are a cyber security consultancy and solutions provider as well and we have been able to up-sell this through the shipping and offshore industries,” Matthew says. “The services that we provide here can be anything from awareness training for senior executives and operatives to understand how to protect themselves from cyber attacks and malicious software, through to monitoring software and hardware systems. This is supplemented by a response service, so forensic investigations of cyber breaches in order to take appropriate steps to protect against future threats to commercial activity. This business is going very well and there is a growing need to protect against this across the world in all industries.”

In terms of the future Matthew continues: “PVI will continue to adapt to the changing environment in the Indian Ocean. I think in the maritime security industry we will see consolidation in the market place forcing a lot of smaller companies to close their doors. This will create opportunities for us, being a

financially stable organisation with very strong investor backing, to either bring these companies on board or support customers when these businesses shut down.

“I don’t think it is a time for the shipping industry to become

Protection Vessels International Ltd www.pviltd.com • The world’s largest private maritime security service • Demonstrates unparalleled compliance within the industry • Has a successful and growing cyber security arm

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www.shipping-and-marine.com - 49

Shipping &MARINE

The magazine for maritime management

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